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1. Who 2. What 3. When 4. Where 5. How 6. Savings

Putting WaterSenseto Work

Olympic National Park Hotel Reaches Out and Saves

Sector: Hotels; Focus: Education and Outreach

Project Summary

On a coastal strip of Olympic National Park in Forks, Washington, Kalaloch Lodge has worked to protect the surrounding ecosystem and reduce water and sewer costs by giving guests and employees a direct role in its water conservation efforts. Known for its lush vegetation and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, Kalaloch Lodge has faced high and variable water costs, ranging between 20 and 35 cents per cubic foot. The lodge is owned by the U.S. National Park Service and has a concession contract that includes water-reduction metrics. Between 2011 and 2014, Kalaloch Lodge reduced its water consumption by more than 46 percent, reaching its goal of 40 percent reduction in water use by 2020. This achievement was seven years ahead of schedule, due in part to a concerted effort with employee and guest education.

Kalaloch Lodge achieved these water savings by: replacing restroom and kitchen fixtures with high-efficiency models; implementing towel and linen reuse programs; serving water only upon request; and informing guests and employees how to do their part to save water. By involving guests and employees in its water conservation strategy, Kalaloch Lodge saved more than 1.37 million gallons of water annually.

Engaging and Encouraging Guests

Kalaloch Lodge's in-room guest literature features the lodge's "Water is Vital. Please Conserve" messaging, which it adapted for guests, associates, and National Park Service visitors. An educational tri-fold brochure in guest rooms highlights water conservation, Kalaloch Lodge water savings goals, and what guests can do to reduce water use during their stay. In guest bathrooms, a tag hanging from shower doors encourages guests to help reduce laundry water use by participating in the lodge's towel reuse program and provides helpful hints for saving water when brushing teeth or bathing. A card on the vanity reminds guests to report leaks, and a linen reuse card on guest beds includes information about reusing linens.

Educating Employees Improves Efforts

At Kalaloch Lodge, employees undergo both general and department- specific environmental training. Targeting kitchen and housekeeping staff, these trainings: encourage employees to report leaks and be

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Case Study Highlights

Hotel:Kalaloch Lodge

Location:Olympic National Park

in Forks, Washington

Number of employees:Approximately 40 in the winter and fall and 80 in June, July, and August

Number of guest rooms:64 guest rooms, with approximately 16,000 room nights per year and 40,000 overnight guests

Water savings:Reduced water consumption by 40 percent between 2011 and 2014, saving 1.4 million gallons of water annually

Cost savings:Approximately $47,000 in annual water and sewer costs

This brochure informed guests of Kalaloch Lodge's water use reduction goals.

EPA-832-F-14-002-NNovember 2014

conscious of when they're running water; provide an overview of Kalaloch Lodge's water savings goals; and emphasize how employees can help. This includes education about the lodge's high-efficiency fixtures, linen reuse program, and water served on request only, which reduced the amount of water served by approximately 50 percent.

To improve communication with employees, who respresent a diverse range of languages and literacy levels, Kalaloch Lodge uses a large number of graphics in its messaging. The lodge provides updates on water and cost savings, along with accomplishments by department, which are a source of pride among employees.

Shortening Showers and Saving

Kalaloch Lodge offers water-saving tips.

In both guest cabins and employee housing, Kalaloch Lodge replaced all of its showerheads with WaterSense labeled models, bringing the flow rate down from 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) to 1.5 gpm. Understanding that saving water in the shower is largely driven by the user, Kalaloch Lodge encourages everyone on its property to reduce their personal water use through the five-minute shower challenge. All rooms have a simple egg timer that counts out five minutes, along with an informational card challenging guests or employees living on the property to shower in five minutes or less. The cards also note that guests who meet the five-minute challenge use 60 percent less water than the average person. Some Kalaloch Lodge guests have even approached its front desk about purchasing the in-room timers, in hopes of bringing the challenge to their homes.

Figure 1. Kalaloch Lodge Water Consumption by Season

Guests and employees save water through the five-minute shower challenge.

Connecting With Guests

Online and Off

Because Kalaloch Lodge's website and blogs are often the first point of contact with guests, the lodge uses these venues to highlight its environmental management system and ways that guests can help to save water. On Facebook, the lodge posts a "Sustainable Sunday" feature every week, and has monthly blog posts to educate guests and "Kalaloch fans" about its efforts to green the lodge.

Acknowledgements

WaterSense acknowledges Kalaloch Lodge Environmental, Health, Safety, and Interpretive Manager Alec Bartolai for providing information for this case study.

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160,000 140,000 120,000 100,000

80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000

0

2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014

Fall

Winter

Spring

Summer

Season

Figure 1 shows Kalaloch Lodge's water consumption by quarter, with water consumption decreasing between 2011 and 2014.

To learn more about water efficiency in commercial and institutional buildings, visit the WaterSense website atwww.epa.gov/watersense/commercialto accessWaterSense at Workbest management practices, tools, case studies, and more.